Ram Mohan, Chief Strategy Officer of Identity Digital and founder of the Coalition on Digital Impact (CODI), is dedicated to advancing digital infrastructure that can be used universally by anyone. As a member of the Marconi Society’s Internet Resilience Institute Advisory Council, Ram and his fellow CODI members champion the idea that a resilient Internet must serve all users, not just technologically, but equitably.
The new global initiative for broader digital participation was officially launched during a late May event in Washington, D.C., where thought leaders, technologists, policy experts, representatives of international advocacy groups, and Internet pioneers gathered for a timely discussion on the future of a multilingual Internet. CODI has since sought to continue the conversation with like-minded advocacy groups, on social media and at public events including this month’s ICANN83 Policy Forum and 20th annual Internet Governance Forum.
As the digital world expands, conversations around Internet resilience often focus on cybersecurity, infrastructure, and uptime. However, a critical dimension that is frequently overlooked is language accessibility. To achieve true Internet resilience, we must ensure the Internet serves all users, regardless of language or script. That’s where CODI plays a crucial role.
Resilience Beyond the Cable
True Internet resilience hinges on more than cables, servers, and protocols—it depends on a universal link that enables participation for all. If large segments of the global population are excluded due to language or technological barriers, the Internet cannot be considered truly equitable. Without addressing these human-centric challenges, global connectivity remains fragile and incomplete.
Beyond the technical aspect of Internet resilience, CODI believes that true resilience is tied to ensuring the Internet serves and protects all of its users equally. This includes expanding access, promoting inclusivity, and localizing information and services. Protecting linguistic diversity—rather than allowing language to be homogenized—and advancing Universal Acceptance (UA) principles are essential to ensuring systems recognize all domain names and email formats, keeping the internet current, adaptable, and truly global.
CODI’s efforts to ensure linguistic and cultural accessibility are vital for what can be considered the “last mile” of Internet resilience, ensuring that connectivity truly translates into meaningful participation for the end-user. This work directly combats digital fragmentation. Language barriers and a lack of Universal Acceptance contribute to a de facto fragmentation, where segments of the Internet become inaccessible or unusable for certain populations. By promoting standards and practices that enable seamless global communication and access, CODI actively reinforces the very fabric of the global Internet, solidifying its purpose and stability.
Improving the Infrastructure Through Language
Language accessibility isn’t just a social good—it’s a technical and economic advantage.
Universal Acceptance (UA) and language significantly enhance Internet infrastructure reliability by directly contributing to the robustness, stability, and adaptability of the network. UA bolsters this by ensuring that all valid domain names and email addresses, regardless of language or script, are consistently recognized and processed across every system. This technical standardization is critical for operational stability, reducing the potential for accidental disruptions caused by unrecognized identifiers. It means that essential processes like routing and security operations can function reliably for the entire global Internet.
Furthermore, UA supports the adaptability of the infrastructure by enabling a broader, globally distributed pool of “trained people who can deploy and manage networks” to effectively participate. This widespread capability helps the network evolve and respond to new challenges. By mandating that infrastructure components correctly handle the full diversity of the Internet’s identifiers, UA actively prevents the digital fragmentation that would otherwise introduce inconsistencies and vulnerabilities, thereby strengthening the core dependability of this vital global infrastructure for individuals, businesses, and governments worldwide.
The Call to Action
As we build toward a more secure, stable, and resilient Internet, the intersection of language accessibility and infrastructure resilience cannot be ignored. CODI’s mission is not just aligned with Internet resilience—it is integral to it.
We invite you to be part of this conversation. Sign up for updates from CODI and the Internet Resilience Institute to stay informed and involved.
